Bill Hanifin
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The latest viral internet storm caught my attention, but not for the reasons 85-year-old grandmother Marilyn Hagerty is making the rounds of morning network news shows.
The story, in case you missed it, is that Mrs. Hagerty, a reporter for the Grand Forks Herald for the past 30 years, wrote an innocent column in her signature “Eatbeat” feature in the paper. Mrs. Hagerty wrote this review of a newly opened Olive Garden in the North Dakota town and the gatekeepers of the digisphere picked it up and decided she had violated some unwritten rule known only to them. Hence the viral coverage, as some made fun of her small town nature while others have stood up to defend her perspective.
Here’s the Loyalty Truth perspective on the story: as marketers, we can become absorbed in breaking new ground, chasing new technology, and “innovating” until someone says “Stop!”. In the process of good thinking and pioneering new ideas, we can sometimes outsmart ourselves.
The case of Mrs. Hagerty provides a great example of how we can outwit ourselves: The criticism started in Gawker and spread throughout the new media world. More than likely, the authors and publishers of these outlets are housed in highly urbanized metroplex locations like New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Miami.
I did some quick research and found that the top 50 cities in the US represent about 15% of the total population. Of this, I selected 11 as “gateway” cities. The total population of this group is about 7.5% of total US population.
The point is this: not all of us are chasing technology at the same pace and even fewer of us have interest in the many individual technologies that are becoming part of Social Loyalty schemes. Bristle if you want, but if you’re Best Buy, American Express, Walgreens or any other major consumer facing brand, it would be wise to remember that a comprehensive Customer Strategy must be inclusive to be successful.
Tactics and technologies that lead to consumer engagement in New York and Miami may not merit a whisper in interior sections of our nation. And just like in political elections, we are reminded that every person’s vote counts the same. That’s why politicians campaign in places where they are neither comfortable or interested outside of the campaign and that’s why retailers and others should adapt marketing strategy by region and population segment.
If there’s one lesson I remember from the early days of Loyalty Marketing, it’s that “not all customers are the same nor are they created equal”. To be successful, you have to keep your audience in mind and be willing to go all-in with technology in some markets while sending out catalogs in others.
It’s a wonderful world.
